ction at the mirror. It was my ballet instructor Margaux, firm as a rod but was the sweetest woman wh

was already unconsciously stretching my taut muscles just at the sound of her voice,

ft in the place" I said, I could imagine the slight nod of her head as she

ou're far away from here, away from him

one

t like a

ould do about it. My flight was booked, bags packed and in the trunk of the car because it was strai

ne hou

t. The warm summer breeze floated through the open terrace, and I could perceive the gentle scent of fresh lavender mingling with th

ived too with his men, brothers and cousins alike. I didn't need to look up to know Dan

y defense I had suffered to build over the years. His black tailored suit clung to his powerful frame as if it

t to greet me, my breath caught in my throat with my fi

way from my line of vision, as if reading my mind he pulled the chair oppo

of the table, mama and papa sat dutifully to their right, and there was my brother Luca sitting just next to mama with the usual grimace on his face and I was sa

ere, do you have a

throw words back and forth with my ex husband, I

one

d this brunch" I heard Vivianna say, although she was talking specifically to Paulo her voice ran

than spending time with her own family" my mo

d to methere was a slight

he process, well the cat was out of th

e. "I don't have to wait

y name rolled on his tongue, but his question hung in the

ocus from me and that question was the

ps and he took a tentative sip and leaning back on

game and I wasn't a

y eyes "Ye

there's still something there. D

ell he didn't like me being sassy "You didn't seem to

sipping more win

e fat girl you tossed to the corner, well I hate to b

ard with his eyes narrowi

rs ago which to my greatest surprise seemed to be resurfacing but I couldn't afford to get distracted, so I took a swi

rs instead as the brunch dragged on until finally I deemed it time to leave but that was when Vivianna decided to g

o get ri

d look "I couldn

s and when she finally ended it with a sip of wine fr

with Dante's piercing gaze following my every move

, the sound echoing off the building like a thunderstorm. Before I could process what was

I try to turn, to see what was happening but I'm pinned beneath him

l

sc